My View: Prejudice, no pit bulls, is the problem

I am disgusted with the articles and statements that have recently appeared in the paper about pit bulls, from the article picturing a restrained pit bull included in a story about wild animals; to City Councilman William G. Scharffe's claim that pit bulls are not nice dogs; to a woman equating families owning pit bulls to child cruelty; to others writing in their support of a pit bull ban; to the latest sentiment of one reader's hope that pit bulls fall into Saginaw's potholes and be buried in them before they can climb out.

Such ignorance, prejudice and absurdity about pit bulls must end. People need to stop demonizing these dogs and see through all the social hysteria and media sensationalism.

There are many stories I'm sure most haven't heard. Like the three family pit bulls who saved a couple from their burning home, and the pit bull that was shot and killed while protecting his family from intruders. The pit bull that saved a child from attack by two Akitas, and the pit bull that found a newborn baby and kept her warm until help arrived. These brave and heroic pit bulls are not the exception to the rule -- and these stories are only the tip of the iceberg.

"Pit bull" is not a breed but rather a generic term that refers to a number of breeds, including American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers.

Many believe pit bulls were bred as fighting machines, which isn't entirely untrue. In the 1800s, when the inhumane act of bull baiting was a sport, some immoral breeders bred bulldogs for dog fighting. This led to breeding the bulldog with the terrier, resulting in the bull terrier. This dog was bred with impressive characteristics: aggressiveness toward its animal enemies, tenacity, bravery, strength and high pain tolerance. But it also was affectionate and sociable with people and possessed a relentless desire to please its owners.

These natural traits made the dog unbeatable and deadly in the dog-fighting ring, yet caring, loving and loyal to humans. Bull baiting was outlawed in the mid-1800s, about the time the bull terrier was brought to the U.S. -- not for fighting, but for an all-around farm dog and frontier guardian.

In 1889, the bull terrier officially became the American pit bull terrier and with that, it also became one of America's most beloved family pets. The pit bull hasn't changed but unfortunately society has, reflecting an overabundance of irresponsible owners and a misinformed public.

I am a passionate dog advocate, and condemning an entire breed of dog when irresponsible, neglectful and abusive humans are the ones at fault is absolutely appalling. We should be ashamed of ourselves for continuing to perpetuate the many untruths surrounding pit bulls while we hang these dogs, once considered a loyal family pet, out to dry. As Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

To move past our irrational thinking and misconceptions, it's critical to discuss the fears versus facts of such a misunderstood dog. The list is long, so I will touch on only a single concept: Pit bulls are not the bloodthirsty monsters they are made out to be.

They were originally bred to be animal aggressive, not human aggressive. The two types of aggressions are completely unrelated. American pit bull terriers are no more or no less prone to human aggression than any other breed. They do not have any type of genetic predisposition to attack people.

Rather, when bred and raised properly the pit bull is one of the most people-friendly dogs around. According to the American Temperament Test Society, pit bull breeds' overall scores well exceeded the average in having a reliably friendly temperament (American pit bull terrier 83.4 percent, American Staffordshire terrier 83.3 percent, Staffordshire bull terrier 93.2 percent). To put these into perspective, the golden retriever scored 83.6 percent.

Pit bulls are not the terrible beasts they are portrayed to be. They can make excellent companions due to their loyalty, playfulness, affection and intelligence. They are used all over the world as service dogs to the military and police, therapy dogs for the disabled and simply as loving and loyal companions to children and adults alike.

I strongly urge people to take time to educate themselves about pit bulls. They can make wonderful pets, and humans are 100 percent of the pit bull problem. Until these truths are appreciated and understood by society, the media and government, the plight of the pit bull will continue. And I, along with many others, will continue to fight the good fight for these deserving dogs.

Mary Paetz is an elementary school teacher for the Saginaw School District. She lives in Frankenmuth.